Thomas x



Aug. 2, 1927.

1 V Re. 16,691 'r. E. MURRAY, R

mundane cgnnm salammam-AL ARTICLES Original Filed Nov. 22. ,1921

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- 'Reiuued A... 2.1927.

QUNITED STATES TEOm E. mmr, m, OIBBOOKLYN, NEW You PRODUCING CERTAINSHEET-METAL ARTICLES.

Original I0. 1,498,980, dated Kay 6, 1924, Serial No. 17,056, filedNovember 82, 1921. application for reissue filed. Kay 3, 1926. SerialNo. 108,571.

My invention aims to provide improvements in the production of sheetmetal axle housings and other bent or drawn sheet metal articles and inthe production of certain intermediate articles in the manufacture ofsuch housings or completed articles; by which improvements there iseffected a considerable reduction in scrap loss and economy in cost.

The accompan in drawings illustrate embodiments of t e invention.

Figs. -1 and '2 are alternative plans of av blank;

Fig. 3 illustrates the method of obtaining the blank of Fig. 1 from asheet;

Fig. 4 illustrates the method of obtaining the blank of Fig. 2 from asheet;

Fig. 5 illustrates an axle housing made in accordance with theinvention;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section of one of the segments.

Referring to the drawings, the housing in Fig. 5 has a centralannularenlargement 1 and tubular extensions2, the shapes of these parts incross-section being indicated in Fig.

' 6. The housing is formed of two se ents united along the edgesindicated by the dotted line 3. Each segment is formed from one of theblanks hereinafter described by 80 bendin it longitudinally to form thecentral en a-rgement and transverse] to form the flanges of the enlarement an the semicircular halves of the tu es. The total width of metalrequired for the central portion 1 is greater. than that re uired forthe tubular portions. In order t at the inner edge 4 (Fig. 5) of thecentral part of the housing shall be circular the metal of the blank hasto'be wider at the point 5 where the tubular 40 part mer es into thecentral annular part than at either of the adjacent arts of the blank.This shape is shown in igs. 1 and 2. To cut-a number of blanks of thissha from a sheet is a comparatively waste 111 operation because of thequantity of scrap occasioned by the projections 6 which form the widestpart of the blank (and which correspond'to-the portion 5 of the finishedhousing). If the parts6 be staggered with relation to each other onadjacent blanks, as in Fig. 3, there is still left a considerablequantity of metal at the ends of the blanks because of the ofi-settingof such ei1ds.- If the blanks be arranged with their ends in register,as in Fig. 4, the projections 6 will arrangements of this character ma.stamp the pieces 8 intended to form the end 'end 8 and a'smaller 1piececomprising only naturally space theblanks so far apart on a sheet as toinvolve a large amount of scrap between them. According to my inventionthe blanks are cut out, each in a number of parts which are afterwardsfastened together, the parts being such as can be cut rom the sheet withan economy of thirty per cent, more or less, as com ared with thecutting out of each blank w ole. Var-log: worked out, two, sucharrangements eing shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and in Figs. 2 and 4respectively.

The blank of Fi 1 is made of three parts; a central part 7 o the extrawidth required for the enlarged part. of the housing, including also theprojections 6 and the tapering part extendmgJ therefrom to the nar- 1rowerpart of the ank, and two end portions 8 of uniform and comaratively narrow width correspondin to tile tubularpor-t tions of thehousing an welded to the central portion 7. On the sheet, Fig. 3, thewider portions 7 are arranged in stag ered positions with the lateralprojections 6 51ersof overlapping. Between the ends of al-' ternatepieces 7 there is a space of considerable depth and width, the partsbeing so proportion-ed that out of this space we may B5 projections ofthe blank. By this. means there is a large saving of sheet metal. Itwould -require, including wastage, a quantity of metal indicated by thedotted rectangle 9 in Fig. 1 to cut the blanks out whole. From 'asheetofa iven size eight such blanks may be cut; w ereas by the method ofFig. 3 twelve blanks can be out from the same sheet. The part 8 it willbe observed is taken of a length practic'all equal to the .95 width ofthe blank through t e projections 6, so as to fit into the spaces shownin Fi 3.

The blanking arrangement shown provides only one piece 8\ for each piece7. Additional pieces 8 may be out from straight 1N strips with practicaly no waste. A similar economy can be secured by making the blank ofonly two pieces, a longer piece comprising the center 7 and one theother end 8. Sue longer pieces can be closely arranged on the sheet inthe same way as in Fig. 3, the longer end of one blank overlapping theshorter end of the next and leaving no space suificient for providing110 separate,

separate as at Fig. 2 and Fig. 4. Here the blank is formed of one piece11 of full length, with its central width corresponding to that requiredfor the. center of the housing and with its end portions of the narrowerwidth requiredior the tubular portions of the housing; and of fourapproximately triangular portions 10 Welded on their edges to the part11.

The parts 11 are arranged on the sheet'in lateral alignment with oneanother, with their wider central 'portions "in contact and with spacesbetween their narrower end portions from which the.

pieces 10 are stamped out. With the proportions shown the width of thepieces 10 is such-as to leave the pieces 11 of slight extra width so asto secure the necessary scrap be tween the ends for cutting out thepieces 10. Compared with the cutting out of each blank '.whole and usinga quantity of metal indirately the jections andthe end projections, orrather omitting these from the first blankin tures;

needed. I a a Though I have described-with t articularity of detailcertain eI'n 0f cated by the dotted rectangle 9 the method of Fig. 4rovides thirteen blanks from a sheet of s cient size to furnish onlyeight blanks.

In each of the, cases illustrated the saving in metal ,is more thansutlicient to-compensate for the cost of welding the parts together.

The. arts which are stamped out sepament or afters'uch bending and atany su seclent stage'in the forming of the housing. he invention may becarried further, to

int ofremoving both the lateral prooperapplya P p or with one or more ofsuch pro ection, and sub uentlyforming an in them .to the intermediateparts he blank with lateral and end tion's,

1 tions, separately stamped out and welded to the remainder furnis es avery convenient article ofmanufacturefor subsequent conversion into asegment of an axle 110118111855 or-fon; segments of various analogousstrucand !or :various' articles which are bent from sheet metal andwhich, asfar as their-me'thodof production is concorned, are wholly orin the segments described;

art equivalent to e separate "5:5- ments also may be considered as'interm 1- ate but complete articles of manufacture, for

subsequent conversion into housings in separate -m achines*- or. plantsas and m" the sheet may be welded to-"- j gether before being bentiup to'form a segmy invention, yet it isnot to be understood therefrom thatthe invention is restricted to' the particular embodiments-disclosedVarious modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without de'arture from the invention as defined int e following claims. Y "'a WhatI claim is: i

- 1. In the making of blanks for se ments of axle housings or the "like,such lanks having an intermediate portion, two end portionsprojectingtherefrom and lateral projections at the ends of theintermediate portion, the method which consists in cutting outseparately different parts of the blanks from staggered and overlappingpositions in a sheet and Welding said parts together edge to edge tomake the complete blanks.

2. In the making of blanks for segments of axis housings or the like,such blanks having anintermediate portion, two'end portions projectingtherefrom and lateral projections at the ends of the intermediateportion, the method which consists in cutting out from a sheet partsincluding such intermediate portions staggered to overlap such lateralprojections, and cutting out from the sheet between-the extended ends ofsaid staggered parts a second series of parts adapted to form endportions of \the blanks.

3. In the making of blanks forsegments of axle housings or the like,such blanks having an intermediate ortion, two end portions projectingtherefrom and lateral projeotions-at the ends of the intermediateportion, themethod' which consists in.cutting out fromv a sheet partsincluding such intermediate portions staggered to overlap suchlateral-projections and cuttin out from the sheet between the extendeden s of said staggered parts, a second series of parts adapted to formend portions of the blanks and welding said arts together edge to'edgeto make the comp ete blanks. v

4-. In the making of blanks for se ments of axle housings or the like,such lanks jections at the ends of the intermediate portion, the methodwhich consists in cutting out from asheet parts including only suchintermediate portions and lateral projections, which parts are staggeredto overlap the lateral'projections, and cutting out from the sheetbetween the extended ends of said staggered parts a second series ofarts adapted to form end portions of the b ank. v a 5. A segment'for usein the making of. axle housings or the like, said segment be benttransversely for. welding it edge so e ge to mljadjacent' arts of sheetmetal of suit able shape'wel ed together-edge 'to'edge.

'6. Asegmmt for use in the mak ng of lot, I

having an intermediate portion, two end por- $10118 projecting therefromand lateral prosagmentbandgcomlarising *sepa- 'rately formed axlehousings or the like, said segment being bent transversely for weldingedge to edgeto an adjacent segment and ha i a central portion which isbent longi tiifinally and said segment comprising separately formedparts of sheet metal of suitable shape welded together edge to edge.

7. segment for use in the making of said segment comprising a centralportion bent longitudinally and transversely and end portions benttransversely and comprising separately formed parts of sheet metal ofsuitable shape welded together edge. to edge.

8. A segment for use in the making of axle housings-or the like saidsegment being formed of pieces of sheet metal welded together edge toedge and the whole bent up to the desired shape.

9. A sheet metal blank for formin a segment of an axle housing orthe esaid blank having an intermediate rtion with lateral and end projectionst erefrom, at least'one of. said projections having an edge butt weldedto the edge of the remainder of the blank. e

10. A sheet metal blank for forming a segment of an axle housing or thelike said blank having an intermediate portion with lateral andendprojections therefrom, said end projections being separate stampingswelded to the ends of the intermediate porlion.

11. In the production of a segment of an axle housing or the like, themethod which includes cuttln' g out difierent parts of suitable's'hapefrom overlapping positions in a sheet and edge to produce t blank andbending the latter transversel 12. In the projnction of: segment of anaxle housing or the like, the method which Includes cutting outdifierent parts of suitable shape from overlapping positions in a sheetand welding them together ed -toedge to produce a flat blank of di erentwidths at difierent points, inits length and bending the lattertransversely.

13. In the production of a segment of an axle housing or the like, themethod which includes cutting out difierent parts of suitable shape fromoverlapping positions in a sheet and welding them together edge-t0- edgeto produce a flat blank and bending the latter transversely and bendingthe central portion of it 10 'tudinall 14. In the pr dsiiction o asegment of an axle housing or the like, the method which includescutting out different parts of suit able shape from overlappingpositions in a sheet and welding them 'to ther v-toedge to produce a.fiat blan and bending the end portions of the blank transversely and thecentral POItiOILbOfll transversely and longitudinally.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

- THOMAS E. MURRAY, JR.

weldingathem together edge-to-'

